BBC News - Apple sold up to 525,000 iPhones at its stores and AT&T's in the first weekend since the device launched on Friday, the Los Angeles Times has reported. And half of Apple's stores on the US west coast sold out on the first day, said other media outlets, citing San Francisco's Global Equities Research. According to AT&T, provider of wireless services for the iPhone, most of its 1,800 stories sold out within 24 hours. The phone, on sale in Europe this year, has a web browser and media player.

Adobe is shipping the final two editions of its Creative Suite 3 today, rounding off the first updates to its digital design software since a merger with Macromedia less than two years ago. Both the Adobe CS3 Production Premium and Master Collection (more here) are available for purchase immediately online. At $1,699, Production Premium CS3 includes upgrades of Premiere video editing and AfterEffects post-production software. In addition, the $2,499 Adobe Master Collection includes 17 applications that encompass the creation of film, video, audio, Web and mobile content. The Adobe CS3 applications run on Windows in addition to Intel-based and PowerPC-based Mac computers.

Engadget - Looks like a pillar of iTunes content might be on the brink of collapse -- Universal Music, the world's largest music business, has officially opted not to renew its contract with Apple for vending music on the iTunes Music Store. We don't know specifically what caused Universal to turn away -- perhaps it's the weight of the rising anti-DRM movement among consumers, or perhaps it's because of Stevie J.'s brash negotiating tactics, continual refusal to hand over iPod cash, or oceanic persistence in keeping tracks locked in at $0.99. Whatever the reason, we can't say we're all that surprised; Universal's been a pain in Apple's ass for years now.

PCWorld - A familiar name in computer motherboards, Asustek Computer Inc., will split into three companies by January to separate its name brand product business from its contract manufacturing operations, it said Monday. "We think this will boost our competitiveness in each area," said Jonney Shih, chairman of Asustek, at a news conference in Taipei. The announcement comes after months of speculation over such a move and years after some rivals in Taiwan first undertook similar changes to avoid conflicts of interest with customers.

DailyTech - When it comes to computer technology, hard drives have advanced the slowest over the years are far as speed is concerned. We've seen dramatic increases in processing speed and graphics power, but HDDs have long been the bottleneck in modern systems. Many are looking to solid state disks (SSDs) to give a boost in speed. In addition, SSDs have the advantage of lighter weight, more efficient packaging, silent operation, durability and power efficiency. The major drawback, however, is pricing. Current 1.8" SSDs are roughly five times as expensive as their 1.8" HDD counterparts. Analysts expect the difference to only drop to three times as expensive by 2010.

Engadget - Granted, we've never had too much luck with those knockoff ink cartridges ourselves, but that doesn't mean that printer (and therefore, ink) manufacturers aren't looking to halt sales of the profit stripping units in any way possible. Aiding them in their quest is Cryptography Research Inc., which is currently developing "chip technology aimed at helping printer manufacturers protect this primary source of profit."

c|net - It's looking ever less likely that Congress or the courts will act swiftly enough to save Webcasters from the doomsday that they argue will result from imminent new fees. But there are signs that Internet radio players and a group representing artists and record labels may be moving closer to a detente. A few weeks ago, we reported that the increased royalty rates set to kick in July 15 were poised to create a burden not only for small major Webcasters but for the largest ones as well. Because the fee hikes also include a $500 minimum payment per "channel," the three largest Webcasters alone--Yahoo, RealNetworks and Pandora--said they would owe more than $1 billion in the first year alone because of the thousands of unique "channels" their services offer.

DailyTech - By several metrics, the Xbox 360 is the most successful console so far of this generation. Despite the startling pace of the Wii, the Xbox 360 still has the most consoles sold worldwide and the longest list of games and exclusives. For a gamer looking for online-enabled high-definition gaming today, the Xbox 360 appears to satisfy those needs. One often overlooked factor when considering a console purchase is reliability, an area that is becoming apparent where the Xbox 360 falls short. Anecdotal evidence is heavily pointing to Microsoft’s latest console as being significantly more prone to failure than what consumers are accustomed to.

OverclockersClub - There are already a few external storage devices making use of recently available 250GB 2.5" HDDs (Western Digital's passport line for example). Not to be left out, SimpleTech announced today the addition of a 250GB to their own portable storage line. The enclosures are designed by Pininfarina, who have been responsible for the look of many Italian sports cars. I don't know how creative you can really get with hard drive enclosures, as you can probably tell.

OverclockersClub - Canon announced a new addition to it's 'Selphy' line of photo printers today. The CP740 Compact Photo Printer weighs in at just 7"(W) x 2.5" and 2.1lbs so it should be easy to tote around to a friends for a printing session. Other features are pretty standard for a photo printer. It connects via USB or has memory card slots which support a slew of formats. Just take the memory card from your camera, use the 2" colour LCD screen to choose the pictures you want printed and then hit print.

OverclockersClub - ASUS added to it's Republic Of Gamers line today with it's new Blitz Extreme motherboard. It joins such company in ASUS's high end line-up as the Striker Extreme and Crosshair. Now ASUS like to get creative with the cooling on their boards and this is no exception. The Blitz Extreme comes with the "Fusion Block" cooling system, which is basically a pre-applied water cooling block so you can plug your tubes straight in. It also utilises something ASUS is calling "Crosslinx Technology".

c|net - Someone is using a Grand Theft Auto mod video as a way to trick viewers into infecting themselves. Although YouTube videos remain safe to view, that hasn't stopped criminals from finding new ways to entice YouTube viewers to get infected with the latest Trojan horse. The latest example is a Grand Theft Auto video for a mod called Hood Life. According to Chris Boyd, Director of Malware Research at FaceTime Security Labs, the graphics in the mod are lame. He says the images used in the video are circa 1986, crudely rendered, not up to the high standards of the GTA game itself, yet at least 54 people have nonetheless downloaded the game.

Engadget - It looks like (legally) downloadable PSP games could maybe, possibly be getting ever so slightly closer to reality, as a Sony-made ISO loader has reportedly been discovered in the latest firmware update for the handheld. The current speculation is that the loader, discovered by the prolific Dark_Alex, gives the handheld the ability to load encrypted ISO images off a memory stick, not just the demos and PS1 games the handheld's currently capable of playing.

AMD roadmaps reveal the company recently cancelled its single-core Lima processor, the 65nm Athlon 64 refresh. This leaves AMD with existing Orleans-based processors to carry the Athlon 64 brand. After Orleans models is EOL, there will be no more single-core Athlon 64 branded processors. Instead, AMD will position entry-level dual-core Athlon X2 processors based on Rana in the low end.

In the latest move to consolidate the disk drive industry, Western Digital Corp. has agreed to buy component maker Komag Inc. for about $1 billion in cash, the companies said on Thursday. The proposed merger comes amid a sharp fall in prices in the highly commoditized computer disk drive industry, once one of the bedrock manufacturing sectors in Silicon Valley. Western Digital expects to pay $32.25 per share for all of the outstanding shares of Komag, a supplier of the thin-film media that finished-products maker Western Digital uses to make disk drives.

Computer World - Massachusetts today released draft specifications that would allow state workers to continue using Microsoft's Office Open XML (OOXML) format. The latest proposal comes about two years after state IT officials kicked off a raging political battle by unveiling specifications that would have required state workers to use applications that support only "open" technologies like the OpenDocument format (ODF).

CNN - By 9 a.m., the line outside Manhattan's Nintendo World store was snaking down the block. More than 100 hopeful Wii owners came from as far as New Jersey -- some as early as 6 a.m. with kids and grandparents in tow -- to get their hands on the gaming console best known for its wireless, motion-sensitive controller. It's been more than seven months since Nintendo launched the Wii, but the consoles are selling so well that supply still hasn't caught up with demand. You can get one, sure, but be prepared to call around and arrive promptly when the shipments do.

Computer World - The team responsible for coming up with add-ons for Microsoft Corp.'s Windows Vista Ultimate reacted to critics today by breaking three months of silence to say that it will finalize one already-released program by the end of summer. Last week, critics blasted Microsoft for not making good on its promise to deliver Extras -- downloadable software that's available only to Vista Ultimate users. The add-ons were to be one of a handful of features that separated the $399 Ultimate from the $239 Home Premium. But after releasing three Extras in January, then a beta of a fourth the next month, the feature seemed forgotten by Microsoft. The blog run by the group creating Extras went dark; until today, the most recent post had been March 13.

DailyTech - AMD plans to cut power consumption of its mainstream Phenom X2 processors with the Phenom X2 GE-series, according to the company’s latest roadmap. The Phenom X2 GE-series joins the Phenom X2 GS-series in late Q1’2008, after the Phenom X2 GS-series makes its debuts. AMD has three Phenom X2 GS-series in the pipeline with launches beginning in Q4’2007 and more models added in Q1’2008. The new Phenom X2 GE-series match the recently released Athlon X2 BE-series in terms of thermal design power, or TDP, at 45-watts.

DailyTech - According to data compiled by Enterbrain, the Nintendo Wii outsold the Sony PlayStation 3 more than 6 to 1 in June in Japan, continuing Nintendo's dominance of the console market. "The Nintendo's game console is catching on not only among children but also adults and singles," said Yuko Magaribuchi, Enterbrain spokesperson. Nintendo sold 270,974 Wii units in June, while Sony only sold 41,628 PS3 units, with Microsoft coming in third with 17,616 Xbox 360 consoles sold.

Engadget - Fujitsu's been selling well-regarded hard drives in branded external enclosures for a while now, so it's no surprise the company is trumpeting the arrival of 300GB 2.5-inch drives with a new line of pocket drives. The USB-powered 4200rpm drives feature a new 16-point shock absorber and the usual array of security software that'll get wiped out during the first reformat. Expect to see these hit shelves in Q3 for $229, no word on when the bare drive will be available.

Engadget - Panasonic is set to join LG with the introduction of their own 4x speed BD-R recorder. However, while LG's GBW-H10N Blu-ray recorder burns are limited to single-layer media, Panny is boasting of a 4x burn to a dual-layer BD-R platter. That's 50GB in 46 minutes in case you're keeping track. No pictures or price but you can expect Panny to go big-and-fast with product sometime later this year.

We've all heard of the reputation ASUS holds for being a long-time manufacturer of motherboards. ASUS is not as well known throughout the LCD world, but its latest performance LCD has opened a few eyes amongst LCD enthusiasts. The ASUS PG221, a 22" widescreen display sporting an unusual, yet stylish, industrial look is hyped to be a great addition to a multimedia PC. What makes this monitor more special and better equipped to be used with our multimedia rigs than any other 22" LCD? For one, the PG221 comes equipped with built-in 2.1 channel stereo speakers, with 10W satellites and a 15W subwoofer to deliver decent sound.

Engadget - It's been a while since we last heard anything about DataWind's PocketSurfer 2 handheld, but it looks like the company might finally have something new to say about it, with a preview of the Internet-browsing device now slated for later this month. As you can see above, the invite to the event also included some fresh new pics of the device (such as they are), which could possibly suggest that it's actually nearing a release (or not).

c|net - AT&T DSL subscribers can now get free access to its Wi-Fi hot spots throughout the country. Subscribers of services that offer download speeds of 3 megabits per second or higher will get access to any of its 10,000 hot spots in airports, coffee shops, McDonald's restaurants and Barnes & Noble bookstores for free, the company said Monday. Subscribers of AT&T's lower tier service can pay $1.99 for unlimited Wi-Fi access. Non-AT&T subscribers pay $7.99 per day for Wi-Fi access in these public hot spots.

BBC News - Popular devices such as flat-screen televisions could undermine energy conservation says a recent report by the Energy Savings Trust. Gadgets are predicted to use 45% of household electricity in UK homes by 2020. Large flat-screen TVs are one of the most harshly criticised culprits, but not all new tech is using more energy, with mobile phones and chargers seeing an improvement.

DailyTech - Creative has now made the Creative ALchemy Audigy Edition software package available, but it will cost you $9.99. It will enable Audigy sound cards to use hardware DirectSound and EAX under Windows Vista. It also enables hardware audio mixing and sample rate conversion to be performed. X-Fi users get this support without having to pay of course.

Engadget - If you are one of those people that is never sure if you should take an umbrella with you when leaving the house, and the routine soakings that go with it, Ambient's new umbrella may be for you. The built in LED ring on the handle alerts you to impending rain (updated wirelessly) so you can grab it before rushing out anywhere. Of course you'll pay $125 for the privilege, meaning this is an umbrella you won't want to leave on the bus.

PCStats - If you haven't got the time to research a list of components for a new build, then the guys over at PCStats have compiled three different shopping lists of recommended components. The three lists are aimed at different budgets ranging from under $600 to $2500. The lists should provide a reasonable guide to anyone who is looking to build a complete system.

OverclockersClub - As we are seeing more motherboards available in retail channels which support DDR3 memory, the memory companies are starting to kick some more DDR3 modules out of the door to add to the relatively small (at the moment) selection. Super Talent yesterday announced the launch of three new DDR3 kits. First up is a DDR3-1333 2GB DIMM (W1333UB2G8) running at timings of 8-8-8-18 @ 1.8v, which claims the title of the world's first 1333MHz 2GB DDR DIMM. The two other kits launched should be more interesting for overclockers out there, both coming in at an impressive 1600MHz.

Engadget - Just in case you aren't completely sick of all the iPhone news already, or just want to see if you missed anything regarding Apple's new device, engadget have a list of all their iPhone related stories in one place. Good if you want to know how it matches up to the competition, what it is that's inside that little box of tricks or just to see who managed to break their shiny new iPhone just after buying it. Hopefully that now means we can all get back to normal news posting.

Engadget - Steorn's Orbo claims to be a magnetic machine which promises "infinite clean energy". If it turns out to be true, then it will go against a lot of previous scientific theory. The device should be on display at the Kinetica museum in London from tomorrow until the 13th of July. I guess we will see soon if it really is too good to be true, you can certainly color me sceptical.

Engadget - Nintendo are to release a camera add on for the popular DS hand-held, along with a game which makes use of it (called Face Training). That's it for uses for the camera as yet, but there is certainly potential for the device. If you're Japanese then you can start pulling faces at your DS (and garnering some strange looks no doubt) from August 2nd. No word on whether other areas will get the camera.

BBC News - Scientists at the University of Southampton have developed a tiny power generator which uses natural vibrations to generate power. It only produces microwatts, but that is enough to power sensors, meaning that wireless sensors would be much more viable. They also say the technology could find it's way into self powered medical implants such as pacemakers.

Engadget - It seems as though Apple may have further plans for it's multi-touch implementation (or just want to have it patented should anyone else have the same idea). A recent application shows details of a mouse with an optical sensing surface, which would allow for things like gestural controls. Now we know that Apple seems to have a disliking for excess buttons, but this would allow for a mouse with potentially no buttons at all.

BBC News - It had been rumoured that Vodafone was most likely to get the contract for distributing iPhones in the UK, but it now looks as though O2 will be the one selling the much hyped device. UK customers are expected to be able to buy the handsets by Christmas if they are willing to put down the predicted £300 asking price.

c|net - In what is sure to be a popular move among gamers, Microsoft has announced that it will be extending the warranty for it's Xbox 360 console to 3 years for certain problems. They will also reimburse customers who have had to pay to have consoles repaired. Of course, this is going to cost Microsoft money as well and they have said they will take a pretax charge of over $1 billion in the quarter just ended.

Engadget - In a recent statement, Samsung has said it will release it's BD-UP5000 dual format Blu-ray / HD-DVD player in October or November. It is expected to cost around 400 euro (that's about $540). It's not the only dual format player around of course, what with LG's BH100 having been around for a while now (though that has a pricetag around twice that of the Samsung).

DailyTech - Sony is expected to announce a price cut for it's PS3 console next week, bringing the price down to $499. The new price is expected to take effect from July 12th, which means the PS3 will now cost the same as Sony's cheapest Blu-ray player. I'm sure you're all aware that the PS3 hasn't exactly been flying off the shelves up until now, and Sony is probably hoping this will give them the sales boost they need.

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BBC News - A new online auction site has been set up to allow security researchers to earn cash rewards for bugs and loopholes they find in software. WabiSabiLabi aims to prevent the sale of such information to malicious or criminal groups by providing a way to legitimately sell discovered exploits and vulnerabilities. Some companies, such as The Mozilla Foundation already offer rewards to anyone finding critical bugs in it's software, but hopefully this should encourage more people to report bugs to the "right" people.